Wine-in-grocery-stores backers start drive in Tennessee

A law allowing sales passed by the state legislature in 2014 was just the beginning. But with more changes this year, lawmakers could allow wine sales in grocery stores to start this summer.

Sponsored by

Governor's signature not the last word

Gov. Bill Haslam signed the wine-in-grocery stores bill in March 2014, but that wasn't the last word on the issue. Supporters had to sell the idea to voters.

Red White and Food

Votes planned across state

The law required communities to hold a referendum before their local supermarkets and convenience stores can begin to stock wine. Only places that already allow bars or liquor stores could hold referendums. That's still 156 communities in 72 counties across Tennessee.

Getting on the ballot

Supporters had to collect signatures from registered voters in each community to get on the ballot. How many do they need? The law says at least 10 percent of the number of ballots cast in the most recent gubernatorial election. In Davidson County, that works out to 15,460 registered voters' signatures. Despite the petition hurdle, 78 municipalities garnered the signatures necessary to have vote in November.

Vanderbilt Poll; Princeton Survey Research Associates International

Tennesseans support wine sales

Getting on the ballot might have been the toughest part. Polls consistently show Tennesseans favor being able to buy wine in their
local grocery store.

Each of the 78 communities with a measure on the ballot voted in favor of wine in grocery stores. For now though they'll have to wait until 2016, the effective date in state law. The wait is meant to help liquor stores adjust to the new competition. Across Tennessee, there
is a liquor store for every 10,600 people. Davidson and Williamson counties have a store
for every 8,760 people, with slightly lower concentrations in most other
suburban counties.

A new bill, proposed by Rep. Bo Mitchell, D-Nashville, would change state law so wine sales could start in July of this year, instead of July of 2016. Mitchell said the passage of all referendums throughout the state makes it clear voters want wine in grocery stores now, but the liquor store lobby will more than likely oppose any change to the timeline.

The push to put wine in grocery stores entered its second phase Monday, as supporters launched a statewide campaign to get the issue on the November ballot.

Red White and Food kicked off an effort to collect hundreds of thousands of signatures in the 156 communities where wine could be sold in grocery stores, if voters approve. The campaign comes after the General Assembly approved a wine-in-grocery-stores measure after years of legislative battles that pitted supermarkets against the state's politically powerful liquor stores and wholesalers.

"The bill's passage was just the beginning of the process," said Melissa Eads, a spokeswoman for Kroger. "The campaign is far from over."

The law signed by Gov. Bill Haslam in March requires voters to hold a local referendum before food retailers can begin stocking wine on their shelves. To get on the ballot, supporters must collect signatures from at least 10 percent of the voters in each community if they want wine sold in their local grocery store.

In Metro Nashville, that would require more than 15,000 signatures on a petition.

Red White and Food and its allies have until Aug. 21 to put together their petitions to appear on the November ballot. If voters then approve, grocery stores can begin selling wine on July 1, 2016.

"We really have a very significant challenge before us," said House Speaker Beth Harwell, who pushed the wine bill through the legislature.

Red White and Food hopes to reach its goal asking shoppers to sign at their local supermarket. Kroger, H.G. Hill, Cash Saver, Food Lion and Publix plan to take part in the drive.

Signers of the petition must be registered voters and do so in their home community. Signatures cannot be collected online, Eads said.

The group's goal in Davidson County is to collect about 20,000 signatures over the next 2½ months. Eads said her company's Nashville stores average about that many customers in a single week.

Similar efforts will be undertaken in every Tennessee community where voters already have approved liquor stores or bars.

"Everywhere we can get, we're going to try to get," Eads said. "We'll try our best not to forget anybody."

Reach Chas Sisk at 615-259-8283 and on Twitter @chassisk.

3 more steps TO GO

Putting wine on grocery stores shelves was not a simple matter of convincing state lawmakers. It'll take three more steps.

Getting on the ballot

The law requires a local referendum, like those for liquor stores and bars. To ask for one, supporters need signatures from local voters. The requirement is a little more than 15,000 voters in Davidson County.

Winning the vote

Supporters then will need to persuade voters to approve wine in grocery stores in November.

Waiting

Even if a referendum passes, the law requires grocery stores to wait until July 1, 2016, to start stocking wine — a transition period to help liquor stores. Supermarkets located close to liquor stores may have to wait as long as one more year.